The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-30

no pretentions to a Christian life, or
even has faith in it, providing he is
noted for medical skill, instead of going
to some saved, sanity man of mighty
belief, like DR.. Pentecost.
1 note these facts, in order to present
in forcible way the wide difference
existing in the religious world between
precept and example, between preten-
sion and practice, that all may see, if
they will, how little of practical worth
there is in very much of that which peo-
pie profess to believe in, and which in
the name of religion they advocate with
all their might. There is not, and
never has been, in all the religions of
the world doctrine which called forth
from its advocates so much of persist
emit enforcement and defensive energy
as this doctrine of the absolute and
eternal division of Gods family;-a
line running through it, which though
it is easily crossed in this life, flor such
is the teaching) can never be crossed
after the breath stops, and the mortal
heart is still. If the infinite Father of
spirits had determined such line, or
even permitted it, for with infnity, per-
mission is only another name for deter
mination,--I repeat, if the Infinite
Father has determined such line, why
not some token or trace of it in this
lower world ? In all the affairs of men,
not a trace Of it is visible; saints and
sinners, the saved and the lost, are so
thoroughly mixed in all the affairs of
this lower life as would require a sharp
expert to sort them out and set them
apart. And so little difference exists
in all their business relations and trans
actions; such equal mingling of honesty
and shrewdness Ito call it by no harsher
name), that this wonderful line of divi-
sion is not observable at all. If it really
exists, would not even our human ideas
of justice demand at least partial dis
closure Of it here, seeing that such awful
consequences depend on its disclosure
in the hereafter?
But how stands the caseP We find
goodness and badness, strength and
weakness, virtue and frailty, mingling
in every life; and those who vote them
selves as being already in the saved
state, are very quick to detect the vir-
tue and goodness and strength in those
whom they look upon as lost. and not
only to detect it, but to trust it impli-
city. Were it not for these awful sin
ners who are doomed to go downward,
while we of the saints go upward, 1
do not know how those on the saved
and sanity side could manage to get
through this world in much comfort, or
manage to do the worlds business to
any advantage or satisfaction to them
selves. Should Onnipotent wisdom
decide to at once draw this line through
the human life of this world, drawing
it right at the point of profession and
of belief and unbelief,
at the point where las taught) humanity
is doomed to finally break in two,
with the saved and the lost thus separ-
ated here, thus barred from all privi-
lege Of helping intercourse, methinks
some of us saved and sanity preachers
would have to walk to our appoint
ments, instead of riding at ease in pal
atial coaches. And some of us poor,
head-worn, hard-worked fellows who
can scarcely live without a two months
vacation trip across the At
lantic, would be compelled either to
stay on this side, or paddle our own
canoe. For most of the men,-I think
most of the statistics show about
nine in every ten,-who drive our
locomotives and steamships, or who
command and control their move
ments, make no religious profession, do
not enter church or hear a sermon
once year. Yet how implicitly we
trust these doomed sinners? How we
depend on them for most of the helpful
and enjoyable things of this life?
seldom seat myself in train, especial
ly if it be night, but my thought runs
forward to the man in the cab, with his
hand glued to the throttle and his train
ed eye riveted to the track, so intent is
he on the safety of the train, and the
precious freight under his charge, that
neither thought, nor eye, nor hand, is
permitted for an instant to be off duty.
To me there seems to be very much of
Godlikeness and Christ-lovingness in
such careful fidelity as this. L know
no way of getting along here without
the aid of these men and of others who
like them are skilled in service Of this
needy world. No, cannot do without
such service here and shall need this
man and his skill and service when go
to heaven; and if when shall find N.Y.
self safely housed in the glorified land
he is eternally barred, and never per-
mitted to come and enjoy and be blessed
with me, there will be trouble if l
am not permitted to go to him.
know he has his peculiar infirmi-
ties. Ihave mine; his differ from mine
because of our different mortal environ
ment; under severe trials incident tn